Jabs And Observations: January 2022

 

A new feature for 2022 here on The Boxing Truth®, which this observer hopes will become a semi-regular addition amongst the variety of content offered to readers where yours truly will attempt as best as he can to cover several topics in a condensed manner that may or may not be worthy of a standalone feature column.

 

As some Boxing fans know, the month of January has been a relatively slow one for the sport of Boxing. This is due in part to several scheduled international Boxing cards being cancelled and/or rescheduled due to the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic and travel restrictions internationally as several countries look to limit exposure to the COVID-19 virus.  There was however, one notable bout that took place on January 15^th in Verona, NY. I am referring to WBO Light-Heavyweight world champion Joe Smith Jr., who defended his title against late substitute Steve Geffrard. Much like several other bouts to have taken place over the last two years throughout the entire sport, this Light-Heavyweight world championship bout saw Geffrard step in on a little more than a week’s notice when original opponent Callum Johnson had to withdraw from challenging Smith due to contracting COVID-19.

 

Something that this observer has said too often particularly since the COVID-19 crisis began is when it comes to fights that are made on short-notice, it is as difficult for a fighter who had a change in opponent to prepare as it is for the fighter that is stepping into a bout with limited notice. While the practice of fighters stepping in on short-notice is certainly not a new one and did not become common because of the ongoing epidemic, the fact that there is a crisis going on, on a global scale certainly has to be an additional stress for fighters that find themselves in this scenario.

 

For his part, Geffrard did enter the bout having won his last eighteen bouts after beginning his career with losses in his first two bouts. Geffrard was however, taking a significant step up in class of opposition having been relatively unknown prior to this fight. Geffrard did manage to have some success periodically throughout this fight in landing sporadic counter punches from a high defensive guard. The challenger was unable to take the initiative and be the one throwing punches first throughout the bout. This was due to the consistent pressure that Smith was able to put on him as well as the champion’s consistent offensive output throughout. It was Smith’s pressure that eventually further limited Geffrard’s offense and ultimately an accumulation of punishment resulted in Smith dropping the “Game” challenger in round nine where Geffrard was unable to beat the count.

 

What was the first defense of the world championship that Smith won in April of last year was the definition of workmanlike in that he simply went through the motions and took care of business under circumstances, which had to of been stressful. As for what this will mean for Joe Smith in the big picture, he still maintains his position atop the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division along with fellow world champion Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Although yours truly strongly wishes for all world championships throughout Boxing’s seventeen weight classes to eventually be unified to determine one world champion per weight division, something that has been a regular addition to this observer’s annual “Boxing Wishlist” over the years, it would appear that in regard to the Light-Heavyweight division, all three current world champion, the WBC/IBF world champion Beterbiev, the WBA world champion Bivol, and the WBO world champion Smith may not be focused on each other, but rather trying to secure a lucrative fight against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the sport’s biggest star and the man currently recognized as Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion, one weight class below the Light-Heavyweight division.

 

Alvarez as some may remember, also briefly held the WBO Light-Heavyweight world championship, but opted to move back down in weight where at the time he held a mandatory challenger position in the WBA’s Super-Middleweight ratings that eventually saw him win the WBA title and go on to unify the championship with the WBC, IBF, and WBO crowns to earn undisputed champion status. Recently, there has been talk of Alvarez testing the waters in the normally obscure Cruiserweight division, which is one weight class above Light-Heavyweight. The reason why the division is obscure is it is not thought to be the most lucrative option for most fighters as a possible steppingstone to competing at Heavyweight.

 

What this could mean for the Light-Heavyweight world champions is simply waiting to see what Alvarez will do before possibly turning their attention to each other to possibly unify the division. Obviously, if either Smith, Bivol, or Beterbiev can secure an opportunity to face Alvarez, that will likely take priority over any potential unification bouts simply due to economic interests if nothing else.  As for Steve Geffrard, he did his best under circumstances, which are not ideal for a fighter challenging for a world championship for the first time. Hopefully, this will not be the last time Geffrard will see action in or around the top of the Light-Heavyweight division because it is frankly hard to form an opinion as to how viable a fighter may or may not be when they are tasked with taking fights on such a limited notice. Perhaps, under different circumstances where he is able to prepare for a fight that does not come as a result of short notice/unforeseen circumstances, he may be able to show more than he was able to against Smith, but he should be given credit for the effort he did put forth. With the discussion of Smith-Geffrard, the Light-Heavyweight division, it’s champions, and the possibility of Saul Alvarez interjecting himself into the equation now complete, it is time to focus on the second and last topic for this edition of Jabs And Observations.

 

As many readers know, particularly those who have followed the work of this observer over the years, one subject that continuously comes up more than most is my continued criticism of the pay-per-view model as well as the benefits of the digital subscription-based streaming model as it relates to not only the fans who support Boxing in good times and bad, but the benefit it also has for the sport itself in providing a more economically reasonable option for consumers to view Boxing and not be forced to pay often steep prices on a per card basis via pay-per-view. Despite the pay-per-view model continuing to dwindle due largely to price points, which more often than not begin at a $60 or above price point here in the United States, which has consequently resulted in most pay-per-view offerings producing underwhelming returns in terms of buys, there remains some promoters who continue to rely on such a model rather than adapt.

 

In the coming weeks, there are three pay-per-view Boxing cards on the schedule that occur within a week of each other, with two taking place on the same day. The first of these cards will take place on January 29^th in Warren, OH as Hall of Fame promoter Don King will present a seven fight card headlined by WBC Cruiserweight world champion Ilunga Makabu, who will defend his title for the second time against top contender Thabiso Mchunu. While neither fighter is particularly well-known here I’m the United States, Makabu has generated interest as a potential opponent for Saul Alvarez should he test the waters at Cruiserweight. While the Makabu-Mchunu card will be priced at $49.99, a price point that is lower than many pay-per-view cards in present day, there may be questions as to how successful the event might be due simply to the fact that Makabu and Mchunu are not what one could consider household names. A further detriment to the potential success of that card is the fact that two pay-per-view events will take place on February 5^th, one week later. First will be the rescheduled event headlined by Women’s Boxing superstar and multi-division  world champion Claressa Shields, who will defend her Undisputed Middleweight world championship against Ema Kozin in a bout scheduled for ten rounds in Cardiff, Wales. Some may recall that this fight and its undercard, which will feature a Super-Middleweight bout between former IBO world champion Chris Eubank Jr. and Liam Williams, was postponed from its original January 29^th date due to the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) suspending all combat sports events throughout January in the United Kingdom due to COVID-19 concerns. If the suspension of events is not extended, this card will cost Boxing fans $29.99, a much lower and arguably reasonable price point than the norm. It is an event that will face some competition for buys as later that night former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman will return to the ring after a new two year layoff to face Mario Barrios in a Fox Sports Pay-Per-View main event promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters for a price point of $74.95.

 

It is important for me to state, despite my ongoing criticism of the pay-per-view model, that my criticism is not aimed at any of the fighters involved, but rather the promoters who for whatever reason refuse to see the need to adapt. Although it  should not be viewed as the sole reason for the need to adapt, by those that I often refer to as “Hold Outs,” we are still in the midst of an ongoing epidemic and as such there remains uncertainty as to whether whatever is on the schedule whether those events are pay-per-view offerings or not, will go on as planned under the current circumstances. Here is a scenario where the Boxing fan will be asked to pay $154.93 for three separate Boxing cards. When one considers the amount of Boxing content that is offered on digital subscription-based sports streaming networks such as DAZN and ESPN+ where each offers an annual subscription plan where the total combined cost for a year’s subscription to both networks is just shy of $169 per year and keeping in mind that in the case of ESPN+ they have done pay-per-view Boxing events on an occasional basis with underwhelming returns, it is not hard to see where the value is for the consumer.

 

One should also keep in mind that promoters, much like the rest of the world have had to deal with circumstances created by the COVID-19 crisis and while it is also not hard to understand that promoters want to/need to make a profit, if nothing else to pay whatever guarantees are made to the fighters that are competing, the circumstances, as well as the generally better value of the subscription model should be all the more reason to adapt. Further evidence of the pay-per-view model being less viable and needing to change can be seen in two recent pay-per-view offerings, the Jake Paul-Tyron Woodley rematch, which was produced by Showtime Pay-Per-View on December 18, which at a $60 price point produced just over 65,000 buys. The most recent pay-per-view offering, the Luis Ortiz-Charles Martin Heavyweight themed card, done by Fox Sports Pay-Per-View, with the marketing tag of it being a bargain for Boxing fans at $39.99 produced under 25,000 buys according to some estimates.

 

At the risk of being repetitive, I ask the promoters who continue to fight against adapting a simple question. How much evidence does one need? Perhaps instead of pay-per-view, the revenue that is hoped for from pay-per-view buys can be achieved by seeking out advertising sponsors and/or investing in marketing where a network across digital or traditional platforms may be able to see the viability of paying for rights to stage these cards. 

 

A brief observation in closing that might give a bit of insight for the reader as to why I feel as strongly as I do. First it is not merely a matter of saving money for me personally or consumers as a whole. The fact is, despite the progress networks like DAZN and ESPN+ have been able to make by proving that there is a new source of revenue for not just Boxing, but all of sports, which may be even more beneficial to promoters than the pay-per-view model was in time, Boxing remains one of the few sports that remains behind a paywall for many consumers.  In comparison, as some readers know, I am a sports enthusiast and try to watch as much as I can of the sports I do not cover. Simply put, I’m a sports fan.  This past weekend, I was, like many glued to the National Football League’s (NFL) Wildcard weekend, which over three days Saturday through Monday consisted of six games. All six games were scheduled where they would not overlap each other allowing viewers to consume as much of the games as they wished. I personally watched all six. Each network involved, advertised the other games that they would not be carrying on their platform and in general, speaking only for myself, I did not miss anything from any of the games, though in the interest of honesty with the reader, I did fall asleep during the Sunday night game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs, but thanks to the benefits of a DVR, I was able to go back and watch what I missed. My point is, no such paywall structure is used for major team sports and even though all the networks, which carried these games and will continue to carry games throughout the remainder of the NFL Playoffs, though in one way or another are in competition with each other, all promoted each other’s games. It also goes without saying that the NFL as well as their television partners make significant revenue from advertising and sponsorships, which makes the idea of a paywall structure less viable. More importantly, it allows the sports fan the opportunity to watch the sport they love regardless of whether they may or may not be able to afford a premium price.

 

Now, obviously I’m not naïve and I know that the cross-promotion these networks did in promoting each other’s games likely had to do with agreements with the NFL more than a gesture of helping each other, though I would like to believe in the way things are currently, that a gesture of good will also played a role in things. It is hard for me to understand however, why Boxing promoters cannot or will not see the potential for revenue streams that will replace pay-per-view revenue, but also allow the sport to be seen by as many eyes as possible regardless of whether a Boxing fan can afford to pay an often inflated price.  Some may suggest that one solution, which may reduce pay-per-view price points might be to reduce the purses that fighters are paid. 

 

While it is indeed true that most fighters on the top level of the sport earn millions of dollars each time they enter the ring to compete, I am against the idea that the solution is to reduce how much a fighter can make. The reality is Boxing is a combat sport and whether some want to believe it or not, fighters risk their lives each and every time they compete. It is not something to be taken lightly or treated as a joke. As such, I am and will always be in favor of a fighter being able to make as much money as they can while they can because you never know how long a fighter’s career might be.  What I am advocating for beyond wanting to see the paywall structure the sport has operated under for decades changed or outright done away with in order to have Boxing seen by as many viewers/eyes as possible is for the promoters that be in the sport to see the potential revenue that is being left by not adapting and that there is a way to ensure fighters can make the most they can, while at the same time making the sport and it’s biggest events accessible to all. Am I overly optimistic? To be fair, I have been accused of such over the years, but at the end of the day, I am really someone who bases his views on facts and evidence, and it is becoming more clear with each passing day that Boxing and more specifically, the “Hold Outs” need to adapt for the sport to grow and in order for those “Hold Outs” to not be left behind.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

 

 

 

 

December 17th-18th, 2021 Weekend Thoughts

 As the world nears the Christmas holidays, the Boxing world will not be taking much of a hiatus as was the case in previous years. With the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters staging two cards on Christmas night and New Year’s Day on Fox and Fox Sports Pay-Per-View here in the United States and will be largely alone in doing so, the weekend of December 17^th and 18^th of 2021 saw a focus on the Light-Heavyweight division, a world title elimination bout, and two rematches that depending on one’s perspective were anticipated for different reasons. While one of those rematches as well as it’s full undercard have already been covered by this observer here on The Boxing Truth®, the final weekend before Christmas saw other action throughout the sport that also deserves attention.

 

The first of these bouts took place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where an elimination bout took place to determine the next mandatory challenger in the World Boxing Association (WBA) Jr. Middleweight ratings between top contenders Israil Madrimov and Michel Soro.  Although this observer did not have an opportunity to preview this bout in the days leading up to it, this fight as much as any should serve as a reminder particularly to the sport’s detractors as to just how global Boxing is as well as the benefits that yours truly has frequently pointed out in recent years with regard to digital streaming networks that have increased access on a global scale to much of what goes on throughout the sport that would otherwise not be broadcast by traditional networks as this bout was a late addition to the schedule of digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, that also broadcast the previously covered Parker-Chisora rematch.  As for the fight itself, it was fought at a very tactical pace where both fighters were able to execute their offense in spots. It was this pace that resulted in several of the first eight rounds of this bout being very close and very difficult to score.

 

While Soro tended to be more accurate with his offense, it was Madrimov who seemed to land the harder punches, particularly when the two fighters engaged in exchanges. Although the element of who lands the harder blows is what some would consider as the determining factor in who ultimately gains the upper hand in terms of the scoring of a fight, it is not necessarily the case. When two fighters are able to essentially match each other punch for punch as was the case in this bout, it creates a very challenging conundrum where it will as I have said numerous times over the years, come down to what a judge prefers in their own criteria in how they see a fight based on clean punching, effective aggression, ring generalship, and defense. In this case, after eight rounds I felt the fight was even as usually when one fighter seemed as though they were starting to gain a slight advantage over the other, the opposition would return offense to such degree where it left the impression that this was an even fight.

 

In round nine however, all questions regarding the potential scoring of the bout would come to an end, but an element of controversy would emerge that left more questions than answers. As was the case for the previous eight rounds, the two fighters continued to exchange and match each other’s offense. It was in the closing seconds of the ninth round where Madrimov would break through with a combination of hooks to the head of Soro that appeared to have Soro legitimately stunned and backed against the ropes. The controversy that emerged came when Madrimov pressed forward with his opponent against the ropes and continued throwing punches, the bell appeared to ring several times with no movement from Referee Salvador Salva, who perhaps did not hear the bell due to the roar of the crowd in attendance, seconds later he did jump in and signaled a stoppage of the fight ruling Madrimov the winner by technical knockout.

 

Although it was clear that Soro was hurt in my eyes at this stage in the bout, the fact that the bell rang several times before the referee stepped in opens the question of whether or not the ruling of Salva of a TKO in favor of Madrimov could possibly be challenged in an attempt to have the result changed to a no contest simply because once the bell rang, the action should have been halted and the blows Madrimov was able to land after that were thus after the bell and would be considered illegal.  While normally I tend to side with the referee in instances like this as they are the closest person to the action and a referee’s discretion could be the difference between a fight ending appropriately or one that ends up having tragic circumstances, I do believe that there might be some sort of challenge regarding the result of this fight with both the WBA and the Federation of Professional Boxing of Uzbekistan who regulated the bout. In the interest of full disclosure with the reader, it needs to be noted that Salva only had twenty-one professional bouts under his officiating record at the time this bout took place in a career as a referee that began in 2016. Perhaps what will be difficult to argue in any potential protest, despite the issue of the bell ringing and an apparent miscommunication between the timekeeper and the referee is that Soro was not answering back with punches when the fight was stopped and did have his hands down when Salva stepped in and stopped the fight.

 

Even though some might point to Salva’s not hearing the bell to end the round as well as only having twenty-one bouts officiated in five years as a professional referee as inexperience particularly for a fight between two top contenders to determine who gets an opportunity to fight for a world title, Salva’s argument will like be that he saw a fighter in a compromised state in taking punches with his hands down, who was also clearly hurt when he decided to step in and stop the fight.  Although it is a heartbreaking way to lose a fight if you are in Soro’s position, if Salva does in fact have to give an explanation for his stoppage of this bout and provides a similar one to the example this observer has laid out, a protest by Soro and his team will not likely succeed. The best case scenario for Soro, under the circumstances would not be to protest the result of the fight, but rather to petition the WBA for a rematch. particularly since both Jermell Charlo the WBC/WBA/IBF Jr. Middleweight world champion and Brian Castano the WBO world champion appear to be headed towards a rematch of their unification bout, which ended in a draw earlier this year, in 2022. Whether or not the WBA would order an immediate rematch remains to be seen.

 

The final weekend before Christmas 2021 was also highlighted in part by two Light-Heavyweight bouts including a title defense by undefeated unified WBC/IBF world champion Artur Beterbiev, who made the fifth defense of his title at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada against longtime top contender Marcus Browne. Although much of the focus of the Light-Heavyweight division in recent times has centered around two central figures in Beterbiev and undefeated WBA world champion Dmitry Bivol, Browne did pose a serious test for Beterbiev as a former mandatory challenger in the WBA's Light-Heavyweight ratings. In previewing this bout, I stated that the key to the fight was whether or not Browne would be able to survive Beterbiev’s pressure and be able to extend him into the middle and late rounds of the fight in saying that at this stage we did not know how Beterbiev would respond to being in such a situation as being taken into the deep waters of a fight and whether or not he would be able to adapt.

 

An argument can be made that Browne was not only able to answer that question, but also was able to get an additional question answered of the champion who had scored knockouts in every one of his previous sixteen bouts in his professional career. How would Beterbiev respond to adversity? As expected, the champion began the fight by applying pressure on Browne and trying to walk him down. Although the pressure was clear, Browne did for a time manage you use his movement and combination punching to offset the tactics of Beterbiev. In the fourth round, both fighters suffered cuts as a result of an accidental clash of heads, but it was Beterbiev’s cut, a deep gash on the forehead that appeared as though might be the cause of the fight being stopped due to the blood going into the champion’s eyes and the bleeding of the wound being difficult for his corner to control.

 

Despite being under circumstances where some fighters do not respond well, Beterbiev became more aggressive and made it very difficult for Browne to use his movement to gain space between himself and the champion. In round seven, Beterbiev would score his first knockdown of the fight by dropping Brown with a left hook to the body that appeared to cause a delayed reaction. In the ninth round, the champion would bring an end to the fight by dropping Browne for a second time with another left hook to the body that forced Browne to take a knee and the ten count resulting in another knockout victory for Beterbiev in what was an impressive performance under what had to be trying circumstances due to the gash on his forehead. Even though the gash Beterbiev suffered was frankly enough justification to stop the fight, due to the fact that it was caused by an accidental head clash, if the fight had been stopped, the outcome would have been determined by going to the scorecards for a technical decision.

 

Although no one should discredit the heart Marcus Browne showed in this fight, his effectiveness gradually declined as the bout progressed and if the bout had gone to the scorecards, it is likely that Beterbiev would have retained his title with a decision win. While Beterbiev and Bivol appear to be on a collision course, there is another potential opponent that both champions should keep an eye on. This observer is referring to undefeated former WBO Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez, who returned to the ring on December 18^th against Yuneski Gonzalez at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX.

 

With so much of the recent times of the Light-Heavyweight division focused on Bivol, Beterbiev, and the fact that both have been angling for a potential fight with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the sport’s biggest star that has been seeking the most lucrative fights possible in his career, or a potential fight with each other, Ramirez has quietly emerged as a potential wild card opponent for either of the three if the opportunity were available to him. In Yuneski Gonzalez, Ramirez faced a solid boxer/puncher who showed immediately upon the fight beginning that he was not a mere opponent for Ramirez to simply get some work in before more lucrative fights in 2022. Gonzalez was more than willing to engage in exchanges of punches with Ramirez from the outset and from my perspective had particular success in landing his right hand as well as being able to periodically back Ramirez against the ropes.

 

It did not take long before this fight evolved from a Boxing match to an all-out brawl with both fighters standing and going toe to toe, and punch for punch. While there were moments where Ramirez was able to hurt Gonzalez and had him appearing as though he might be able to get a stoppage early, Gonzalez kept fighting on and kept answering whatever Ramirez threw at him. When it comes to fights that are fought like this, the primary question that comes to mind beyond the subject of potential scoring of a bout is which fighter will have enough left in them to go the distance if required to do so.  This was a case where as I watched this fight, the idea of scoring did not come to mind simply due to the way the fight was being fought and the high pace of the combat with both fighters throwing seemingly every punch with fight ending intentions.

 

As the bout went on however, it did appear that Ramirez was gradually getting the better of the exchanges and the question that formed in my mind was whether or not Gonzalez would be able to go the distance. The war of attrition continued on until the tenth round when Ramirez connected with a barrage of punches on a fatigued Gonzalez along the ropes, which forced the fight to be stopped.

 

Although Gilberto Ramirez had more difficulty than some may have expected going into this fight, he did what he had to do in outlasting a very “Game” Yuneski Gonzalez in what was a very grueling fight that might be considered one of the best bouts of 2021 depending on one’s perspective. While Ramirez remains a live opponent for either Bivol or Beterbiev going into 2022, he has earned the opportunity to rest, despite his stating that he would like a bout with Bivol in his next fight shortly after his victory over Gonzalez.

 

The final bout that took place on December 18^th featured YouTube star turned boxer Jake Paul in a rematch against former UFC World Welterweight champion Tyron Woodley in a rematch of a bout the two had earlier this year in Cleveland, OH. This rematch, which was fought at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL, came out of necessity for Paul and United States cable network Showtime to keep the pay-per-view date after original opponent Tommy Fury, withdrew with what was described as a chest infection and a broken rib that he suffered in training.

 

Even though this rematch came not necessarily out of public demand as it did out of necessity in terms of the business aspects of the sport, Paul’s status as a celebrity did succeed in selling out the near 20,000 seat arena, which were no doubt full of both his sizable YouTube following as well as those who remain curious as to Paul’s legitimacy as a boxer. It is a fact that Paul has yet to face someone with a legitimate Boxing background and that fact alone has fueled much criticism in addition to his being pushed as a pay-per-view headliner with only four professional bouts to his credit going into what turned out to be an immediate rematch with Woodley. The first encounter, which was won by Paul via eight round split decision had the consensus that, despite Woodley being able to stun Paul in the fourth round of that fight, he simply was not active enough over the course of the fight to garner favor of the judges scoring the bout. Woodley did claim in the lead up to this rematch that he would be more active this time around and for a period of time, he did seem intent on keeping his word as he did try to pressure Paul early.  Unfortunately for those in attendance at Amalie Arena and those watching via pay-per-view, this rematch did not have much in the way of action throughout much of the first five rounds of the bout as both fighters tried to engage each other, but more often than not ended up in clinches, which did not produce much in the way of action.

 

This can be attributed to inexperience of both fighters in terms of Boxing, but it should also be noted that many of the clinches seemed to be initiated by Woodley. While clinching is not allowed in Boxing and is normally separated by a referee officiating a bout, in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), where Woodley has primarily competed for most of his combat sports career, fighters are allowed to fight while in a clinch. Perhaps Woodley out of instinct tried to gain an advantage over Paul by way of clinching, and thus forgetting that this bout was being fought under Boxing rules. This would prove to be a moot point as Paul would bring a sudden end to the fight in round six when he connected with a flush right hook to the jaw that knocked Woodley out cold face first on the canvas.

 

Although Paul moved his record to 5-0, with 4 Knockouts with his second victory over Tyron Woodley, criticism will likely remain again based on the fact that he has not faced someone with a legitimate Boxing background and the decision of Showtime to push him as a pay-per-view attraction having not faced a legitimate boxer.  While the issue of the business of the sport and it’s flaws is a subject to be discussed at a later time, it will be interesting if in 2022 those at Showtime, who have struggled to draw consistently high buy rates for their pay-per-view cards amid the consumer trend shifting more towards subscription-based streaming, will insist that Paul fight against people with legitimate Boxing backgrounds going forward if he is truly serious about wanting to be taken seriously as a boxer.  It will also be interesting to see if Showtime’s parent company ViacomCBS chooses to use the growth of it’s subscription streaming network Paramount+ as a pay-per-view alternative in perhaps using Paul as a way to drive subscribers as many of his followers are likely casual Boxing fans and would likely be more inclined to subscribe to Paramount+ for the entertainment options the network has to offer in addition to seeing Paul featured as part of the streaming platform’s sports programming as opposed to paying inflated pay-per-view fees.  For now, Paul has succeeded in scoring another knockout and maintaining the curiosity that has followed he and his brother Logan’s respective entries into the sport. It will be up to him to prove that this is a legitimate Boxing career and not a novelty act that will eventually wear off.

 

While this is usually where this observer shares some closing thoughts on what has been an extremely active year, despite the continued impacts of the ongoing global COVID-19 epidemic. As much as I would like to close this column reflecting on some of the events that have taken place, the Boxing calendar now turns to what the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters will have to offer on Christmas night and a pay-per-view card to take place on New Year’s Day in Hollywood, FL.

 

Although the choice to do Boxing cards over the holidays is a curious one that will have debatable returns, it is important to keep in mind that as of now, both cards are scheduled to take place as planned, but with the impacts of the COVID-19’s latest variant Omicron beginning to lead to cancellations in the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL) and has already led to at least one Boxing-related postponement in the scheduled Middleweight championship unification bout between world champions Gennady Golovkin and Ryota Murata, which was scheduled to take place on December 29^th in Tokyo, Japan being postponed due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions in the country, the possibility of those two cards being potentially impacted is at least that a possibility. While this observer takes a pause for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the reader can rest assured that I will be keeping an eye on the developments of these two cards and if they do indeed take place as scheduled, those events will be covered when our schedule resumes in January 2022.

 

Happy Holidays.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 11th Thoughts And Previewing December 17th-18th In Boxing

By now, readers have had an opportunity to read and digest this observer's coverage of both Conor Benn's knockout of former world champion Chris Algieri and the continuing evolving story of Boxing's Lightweight division, which coincidentally took place on December 11th. It goes without saying however, that Boxing is one of the most global sports in existence and as such, it can be a challenge for one to adequately keep an eye on all the action that can and often does occur throughout the sport when so many cards and world championship bouts are scheduled for one day around the world. 

 

Even those of us who cover the sport and are used to what yours truly often refers to as marathons of Boxing cards that take place over anywhere from a one to three day period can still find it difficult to keep an eye on and subsequently cover everything that goes on, despite significant advances in technology that frankly makes our jobs easier. While December 11, 2021 was notable for the debut of Probellum, Boxing's newest promotional and managerial entity, something which will be discussed in greater detail after the new year here on The Boxing Truth®, there were two other notable events that took place on that day, which has not previously been covered in recent content that is available in our archives section that deserves some discussion and insight from this observer before a brief preview of what is to follow later in this column. 

 

First up is future Hall of Famer and current WBC Bantamweight world champion Nonito Donaire, who made the first defense of the world title he won back in May of this year by facing unbeaten top contender Reymart Gaballo in a bout that took place at the legendary outdoor arena in Carson, CA currently known as Dignity Health Sports Park. While the venue that has been a staple for Boxing for many years has gone through several name changes in its history, Donaire is one of the legends of the sport to have performed in the stadium. This latest performance by the thirty-nine year old four-division world champion was such that, despite a long career that has seen it’s share of wars, Donaire seems to have plenty of fight left in him as he ended the fight with Gaballo with one second remaining in the fourth round with a left hook to the body.

 

There is simply not much you can say to describe this fight beyond saying that one fighter simply caught the other with a flush shot that landed perfectly. Although it seemed as though the fight was just starting to heat up, when it comes to body punch knockouts, more often than not, it will be where the punch landed that will be the reason for a fight’s conclusion as these type of punches are known to essentially freeze the fighter that is on the receiving end of it. This is precisely what happened in this fight as the left hook that Donaire landed seemed to catch Gaballo on the liver and many fighters including, but not limited to Micky Ward carved out a reputation throughout their careers for their ability to end fights with body shots similar to the one Donaire was able to land in this encounter.

 

Despite a long and grueling career, Donaire appears to not be done carving out his Hall of Fame credentials as he appears to be nearing a rematch with undefeated unified IBF/WBA Bantamweight world champion Noya Inoue, who defeated Donaire in a unification bout in the finals of the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) Bantamweight tournament in 2019. As this column was in development, Inoue scored a knockout of top contender Aran Dipaen in the eighth round of a fight that took place on December 14th in Tokyo, Japan. With Donaire recently signing with Probellum, and the promotional entity’s global plans, it will be interesting to see if a rematch of what was an extremely competitive fight can be made in 2022. In all honesty, at this stage in his career, it’s the biggest fight that could be on the table for Donaire.

 

The last bout that took place on December 11th, which coincidentally will tie in perhaps heavily to the bouts that will be previewed that will be taking place on December 17th and 18th respectively involved undefeated WBA Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol, who scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Umar Salamov in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Bivol out boxed a very “Game”, but tactically outgunned Salamov over the course of the twelve round bout to earn a convincing decision victory in a fight that did not offer much in the way of highlights, but can be described as a workmanlike performance by the champion..

 

This victory for Bivol should be viewed as one that will allow him to stay active while trying to secure more lucrative opportunities in the 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division. Bivol has been a potential opponent for current Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, but with Alvarez looking to challenge for a world title in the Cruiserweight division in 2022, a bout between Alvarez and Bivol seems unlikely at least in the short-term. As for where that might leave Bivol as 2022 approaches, there are two Light-Heavyweight bouts that will take place on December 17th and 18th that could well produce his next opponent.

 

The first of these bouts will be fought in Montreal, Canada where undefeated unified IBF/WBC Light-Heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev will defend his title against top contender Marcus Browne in a bout that can be seen here in the United States on digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+. When it comes to potential opponents for Bivol outside of Alvarez, Beterbiev might be at the top of the list. Not only because of his status as a unified world champion, but also the fact that he has knocked out all sixteen of his opponents going into this fight with Browne, As mouth watering as a potential encounter between Bivol, who also has knockout power, and Beterbiev is, Beterbiev must first face what could be a test in the form of top contender Marcus Browne. 

 

Browne, who will enter the bout with a record of 24-1, with 16 Knockouts, has previously held interim/regular champion status in the World Boxing Association’s (WBA) Light-Heavyweight ratings in his career and will be entering his first world championship fight in this bout. Browne is a solid boxer/puncher that is capable of out Boxing an opponent should the opportunity arise and also has punching power. While Browne is one of several fighters throughout the whole sport that has had an interim/regular designation in the WBA rankings in his career, it will be interesting to see how he will respond to fighting for a world championship against a fighter of Beterbiev’s caliber and reputation.

 

It is that reputation in my view as a “Knockout Artist” that Browne will need to be respectful of and the key to this fight for the challenger in my view will be whether or not he will be able to survive what will likely be early pressure by the champion and extend him into the middle and late rounds of this fight. At this stage in Beterbiev’s career, we do not know how he will respond to being taken into the deep waters of a fight or how he will adapt if an initial strategy does not work initially. If Browne succeeds in extending this fight or putting Beterbiev in a scenario or scenarios that we have not seen the champion put in before, some of the questions that have surrounded him may start to get answered in this fight.

 

One fighter who will probably be watching the Beterbiev-Browne bout with keen interest is undefeated former WBC Super-Middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez, who will return to action on December 18th in San Antonio, TX where he will face Yuneski Gonzalez in a twelve round bout that can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN. Much like Bivol, Ramirez has also been name dropped as a potential opponent for Alvarez and like Bivol and Beterbiev, is undefeated in his career. Ramirez will look to position himself for a bout with either Bivol or the Beterbiev-Browne winner in this fight with Yuneski Gonzalez. 

 

In his last bout in July of this year, Ramirez scored a fourth round knockout of longtime contender and former world title challenger Sullivan Barrera. A similarity that Ramirez shares with Dmitry Bivol is that he is a boxer/puncher that is capable of doing pretty much anything from a skill/tactical standpoint. Ramirez’ opponent on this occasion Yuneski Gonzalez will bring a record of 21-3, with 17 Knockouts into the encounter compared to Ramirez’ 42-0, with 28 Knockouts. Gonzalez’ three losses however, all came when he attempted to step up in caliber of opposition, most notably against former WBC Light-Heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk, who stopped him in 2017. The question that I have as this fight approaches is whether or not Gonzalez will be able to make this step up against a fighter of Ramirez’ caliber and skillset. Despite being in the role of opponent, Gonzalez should be taken seriously and if he can step up and/or if Ramirez might be looking past him, he could possibly pull off a surprise here, but the focus will be on what he will be able to bring to the table in this fight. Gonzalez has won three bouts since his loss to Gvozdyk and has won those bouts by knockout so he has earned this chance to see if he can step up. If Gonzalez were to defeat Ramirez, he would almost certainly be entered into the discussion of potential world title contenders. Whether or not he will be able to do that remains to be seen.

 

December 18, 2021 will also feature two rematches in the Cruiserweight and Heavyweight divisions. First, Youtube star Jake Paul will face the man he defeated in August of this year, former UFC Welterweight world champion Tyron Woodley in Tampa, FL in an eight round Cruiserweight bout that can be seen in the United States on Showtime Pay-Per-View. Paul, who is unbeaten in four professional fights as a Cruiserweight was supposed to face fellow unbeaten Cruiserweight Tommy Fury, the brother of undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury in what would have been Paul’s first bout against a legitimate boxer after facing two Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters including Woodley, a former NBA player, and a fellow Youtube star in his pro debut in 2020. Fury however, was forced to pull out of the bout due to an undisclosed medical issue. Thus, Woodley, who did extend Paul eight rounds in August steps in to take an impromptu rematch on short notice. A fight that ended in a split decision victory for Paul, Woodley was able to briefly stun Paul with a hook to the head during the course of the fight, but the consensus was that he simply did not do enough to win the fight.

 

The bout has since been the subject of both speculation and criticism by both fighters and those of us in media for accusations of a supposed no knockout clause in the contract that many feel was a means to protect Paul as well as the issue of a fight between a novice against a former MMA world champion headlining a pay-per-view card.  This observer has said from the get go since the influx of youtube stars and other forms of “Celebrity” began interjecting themselves into the sport of Boxing that I would be objective and give the benefit of the doubt to those who are entering the sport.

 

In Paul’s case, he has shown some development in his bouts and in giving credit where it’s due, he did go eight rounds against Woodley last time out. One does have to wonder however, given the state of both the pay-per-view medium as well as the fact that said medium is gradually being phased out by a subscription-based model as to the wisdom of continuing to market Paul as a pay-per-view attraction when frankly, he is not anywhere near the status of a prospect, much less a contender. While his knack for promotion is something that does generate attention whether it be good or bad, it is hard to take someone seriously who does not box against actual boxers and is being pushed as a pay-per-view star having not gone up against legitimate boxers in addition to having a record where most fighters that are starting out are in the opening bouts on a card, not in a main event position.

 

Although the argument of both Jake and his brother Logan Paul are attracting new eyes to the sport and can interest a more casual observer might indeed be valid, it is only a matter of when and not if the novelty will wear off. It also can be seen as a red flag for a network like Showtime, that has refused to adapt to a subscription streaming model for their top tier pay-per-view level bouts through its parent company ViacomCBS’ streaming network Paramount+ and has seen inconsistent pay-per-view returns would resort to this type of attraction on a regular basis without insisting that Paul faces boxers that could provide a test. In short, one does wonder what standard there is as to what classifies a pay-per-view level fight in 2021 at least as far as Showtime and even Fox Sports, two of the networks in the sport that have as of now been resistant to adapt to a subscription streaming model is concerned.

 

While I continue to be objective, the only question here will be whether or not Woodley will be more aggressive this time out and whether the outcome will be any different. Given that this rematch comes out of necessity of Paul and Showtime wanting to maintain the December 18th date, not out of public demand, and the fact that Woodley has had limited time to prepare, no one can say what type of fight this will be.It is my hope however, that Paul and the others that have ventured into the sport after gaining name recognition in another field show that this is not a novelty and that their ventures in Boxing will include bouts against legitimate boxers.

 

The second rematch that will likely be viewed as the more legitimate of the two that will take place on December 18th will be a Heavyweight bout between former WBO Heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker and former world title challenger, longtime contender, and former European Heavyweight champion Dereck Chisora in a twelve round bout that can be seen on DAZN from Manchester, England.

 

In what was a very close and competitive bout in their first encounter in May of this year, Parker was able to withstand a steady pressure attack from Chisora and outwork him over the second half of the fight to earn a hard-fought split decision victory.  It will be interesting to see if this fight will be fought in a similar fashion because at his best, Dereck Chisora is a come forward pressure fighter and an argument can be made that what led to his defeat in the first fight was as much fatigue from what he was able to do in the first half of the bout as it was what Parker was able to get down over the second half. 

 

Chisora has been at or near the top of the Heavyweight division’s contenders for much of the last decade, but has not succeeded at the top tier of the division, despite his status as a former European champion and former world title challenger. With his forty-fourth fight in a fourteen year career that began in 2007 on the horizon, one might be wondering if this is Chisora’s last chance on the world level of the sport. As for Parker, if he should win this rematch, it is likely that he will try to positon himself amongst several top contenders and former world champions vying for a shot at the World Heavyweight championship. Although Parker’s status as a former world champion is something that theoretically gives him an advantage over other potential challengers, should Dereck Chisora win this rematch, we could be looking at a possible trilogy between the two. If fight two turns out to be as competitive as fight one was, this observer says “Why Not?”

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

 

Paul-Woodley Thoughts

 

The fight between undefeated YouTube star/social media influencer turned Cruiserweight boxer Jake Paul and former two-time MMA Welterweight world champion Tyron Woodley was as most of Paul’s previous bouts in the Boxing ring have been, a curiosity. While this term “Curiosity” is one that frankly is starting to become overused particularly since the influx of those who enter the sport of Boxing from the outside began in recent years, there is no other term that is suitable to describe it. This is because Paul has not fought someone with Boxing experience as of yet. As such, it is the element of the unknown in his opposition that keeps that phrase “Curiosity” appropriate.

 

In previewing this fight, this observer said that he was taking the “wait and see” approach as I have done with practically every fight that I have covered that features someone that obtained notoriety from outside of Boxing before choosing to enter the sport. I did however, state that while there was no dispute that the tactics of Jake and his brother Logan Paul in terms of being able to generate interest, despite their inexperience as boxers, that  it was a roll of the dice for United States cable network Showtime to market Jake Paul as a pay-per-view attraction in a period of transition where the model of pay-per-view has been in decline and has given way to digital subscription-based streaming networks that generally offer greater value as compared to such a model. There is no disputing however, that from a marketing standpoint, the Paul brothers have succeeded in generating interest particularly amongst the casual fan. The question will remain whether or not the two brothers are truly dedicated to pursuing Boxing as a serious career and that question will remain at least until each decides to fight legitimate boxers under legitimate Boxing contests and not exhibitions as was the case when Logan engaged in an eight round exhibition with Floyd Mayweather earlier this year.

 

For Jake Paul, he is competing in official fights, but is doing so against fighters that are coming from the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) or against other YouTube celebrities or former athletes as was the case in his second official fight when he scored a first round knockout of former NBA star Nate Robinson in November of last year. Even though there is a benefit to such promotion as it does generate interest, some may wonder whether or not he is serious and will choose to compete against boxers in the future. Paul’s fight against Tyron Woodley was one that I had the same question in mind that I did when Paul fought Ben Askren earlier this year in another pay-per-view main event that pitted the inexperienced Paul against someone making their pro debut as a boxer following being a former world champion in the sport of MMA. While one might argue that this is a way for Paul to test the waters and more or less get his feet wet as a boxer by facing those that are inexperienced in terms of competing in a Boxing ring, but do have a background in combat sports and based on that, thus have the ability to draw interest, it is not the norm for those who are just starting out in Boxing to be in a main event position, much less as a pay-per-view attraction. As for the question that I had in mind prior to Paul’s bout with Askren, I did wonder what the returns would be in terms of pay-per-view buys, but in terms of the action inside the ring I wondered if Askren would be able to test Paul in terms of his ability to take a punch. He was not able to as Paul scored a first round knockout of Askren.

 

Tyron Woodley much like Ben Askren has an amateur wrestling background, but did score his share knockouts in the sport of MMA with his hands. So, I felt that if Woodley were able to land some offense on Paul that the question my get some clarity even though it would not be at the hands of a seasoned professional boxer. With over 16,000 spectators in attendance at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH, Paul’s hometown, on August 29th, the promotion was successful in terms of a live gate attraction. Would the fight be a legitimate contest or would it be something that would ultimately be frowned upon by both experts and fans alike?

 

The first couple rounds saw Paul dictating the combat in keeping Woodley at distance with his jab and mixing in some combinations. One thing that has been a question in regard to Woodley in some of his recent MMA fights was his inability to let his hands go and stay busy over the course of a fight. In the first three rounds of this fight, I felt that we were seeing some of that inability show itself as Woodley was simply not busy and seemed hesitant at times to throw punches. To be fair, one should remember that this was the first time that Woodley had competed as a boxer and as such it may not have been realistic to expect a high offensive output at least in the early rounds.

 

Round four however, would see a little bit of a change in Woodley connecting with a right hand to the head of Paul and knocking him into the ropes. Frankly, this sequence where Woodley legitimately stunned Paul gave the appearance that the ropes prevented him from going down and in some cases a referee would be justified in calling that a knockdown. This would not be the case as Referee George Nichols, who was officiating his twenty-first bout as a professional referee, opted to not call it a knockdown. Nevertheless, it did provide the first instance of adversity for Paul in a Boxing ring.

 

From this point in the fight on, Woodley had sporadic success in landing hooks, uppercuts, and his right hand on Paul. While the pace of the fight slowed slightly down the stretch of the scheduled eight round bout, it was a question of whether or not Woodley’s sporadic moments though eye-catching and appearing to be the harder punches landed, would be enough to get the nod in terms of scoring. To his credit, Jake Paul was able to regain his rhythm after what occurred in the fourth round and resumed throwing and landing combinations in spots.

 

At the conclusion of this bout I felt that Paul had done enough to win, but as someone who covers Boxing and has done so for most of his life, I had a sense that no matter who won the fight that it did show that Boxing like all combat sports is an extremely serious practice and should not be treated with kid gloves or with a mentality that one can enter the sport and do so in a top position that many boxers work their entire careers to achieve. Although there were some that criticized the result of a split decision in favor of Paul, I felt that he had done enough particularly over the first half of the fight to win.

 

It should not go unnoticed however, that Tyron Woodley did provide Jake Paul with a test. The question much as was the case after Paul’s knockout of Ben Askren in April of this year is what now? Although credit should be given where it is due in terms of the Paul brothers collective ability to generate interest and create buzz in their respective forays into the sport of Boxing, it is time for each of them to face boxers in competition if they want to continue as boxers.

 

In regard to Jake Paul, he does show signs of potential, but he needs to show that this is not a hobby of sorts and not a novelty act. While he has called out other MMA fighters and top boxers such as Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the reality is if he wants to be a boxer he needs to face boxers and give himself the time to hone his skills. While the bout with Tyron Woodley was the first for Paul under a deal with Showtime, both he and the network need to understand that the time for “Curiosity” has now passed and if this is not a novelty, it is time to show just how serious his commitment to Boxing is. For better or worse, Paul for the moment has also established himself to be somewhat of a draw amongst casual observers, but that too will only last so long if he chooses to both not face boxers that will help him not only prove himself, but also develop his skills, and also as a hoped-for draw in the declining realm of pay-per-view.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

Paul-Woodley More Of An Event Than Fight?

 

The month of August in the sport of Boxing will conclude with a pay-per-view event highlighted by YouTube star and undefeated boxer Jake Paul returning to the ring for his fourth professional fight as he faces two-time MMA Welterweight world champion in a Cruiserweight bout scheduled for eight rounds. A fight that will headline a five bout pay-per-view card broadcast in the United States by Showtime Pay-Per-View and streamed globally by digital combat sports network and pay-per-view platform FITE on Sunday, August 29^th from the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH.

 

In his last fight in April of this year, Paul scored a one punch first round knockout over former MMA world champion Ben Askren in the main event of Triller’s, a relative newcomer in Boxing, Fight Club series. Although Paul faced no significant resistance in that outing against Askren, his third knockout in as many fights along with a significant following on social media and YouTube attracted the interest of ViacomCBS-owned Showtime Networks, who signed him to a multi-fight deal. As some may recall in this observer’s coverage of that fight, even though I gave Paul the benefit of doubt, it was noted that none of his three career victories came against fighters with Boxing experience and to take it a step further, only one of Paul’s opponents, Askren, had combat sports experience.

 

Now, Paul prepares for his fourth career bout against Tyron Woodley. Much like Askren, Woodley is a former MMA world champion having won two Welterweight championships in the now defunct Strikeforce MMA promotion and in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

 

Although Woodley has an MMA record of 19-7 and does have heavy hands, he will be making his professional Boxing debut in this fight. While there is still much that is unknown about Jake Paul due simply to the fact that as of yet he has not faced someone with experience as a boxer, and keeping in mind that we likely won’t know what Woodley brings to the table as far as Boxing ability is concerned, it is fair to ask the question as to whether mere curiosity will be successful for Paul in the long-term without facing people with legitimate Boxing backgrounds or, despite his success in creating interest particularly amongst casual fans is a novelty that has a limited timeframe.

 

There is no disputing whether one agrees with their tactics or not that Jake Paul and his brother Logan have succeeded in terms of generating interest and now under the Showtime banner there is opportunity to create significant lucrative opportunities. There is also however, significant risks that go along with that. For a network in Showtime’s position, it’s an obvious roll of the dice by investing in a fighter who has yet to face a boxer and trying to market that fighter as a pay-per-view attraction even as the sport of Boxing is in a transitional period where overall decline of pay-per-view buys has made way for digital subscription streaming networks to offer a significant portion of Boxing content for a reasonably priced subscription fee as opposed to the pay-per-view model. What makes this risky is the possibility that Paul might lose, which whether fairly or not may turn off a portion of buyers, to be more specific, the casual fan for whom Boxing is of sporadic interest.

 

Whether or not such a scenario will play out with this fight against Tyron Woodley remains to be seen, but perhaps this could also be a test run of sorts for Showtime to see what they have in terms of potential revenue generation before the powers that be at the network start insisting that Paul face boxers going forward.

 

As for what this event will offer the Boxing enthusiasts beyond drawing in the casual observer, the card headlined by the Paul-Woodley bout will see four bouts featuring world champions, rising prospects, and contenders in action. In the co-main event, seven-division world champion Amanda

Serrano will defend her unified Women’s WBC/WBO/IBO Featherweight world championship against Yamileth Mercado in a bout scheduled for ten rounds.

 

Serrano is rightfully regarded as one of the top female fighters in the world having won world championships in seven different weight classes. With forty wins in her forty-two professional bouts Serrano appears to be on the road to being a Hall of Famer. In terms of the near future, the possibility is also there for Serrano to potentially challenge current undefeated Undisputed Lightweight world champion Katie Taylor in what would be one of the best fights that could be made in Women’s Boxing if both world champions continue to win.  In Yamileth Mercado, Serrano will face a veteran of twenty professional fights, but one might argue that Mercado is at a significant disadvantage against the champion both in terms of overall ring experience and in terms of quality of opposition. What Mercado does have going for her is she has won her last six fights and is the current WBC Jr. Featherweight world champion. She has never been stopped in her career and the question might be whether or not with only five knockouts to her credit if she will have the type of punching power to get Serrano’s respect. Serrano has thirty knockouts in her forty career wins and she has shown in the past that she can end fights quickly if given the opportunity so it will be interesting to see what approach the champion will take in this title defense.

 

WBA number one rated Heavyweight contender Daniel Dubois will also be in action on this card as he faces Joe Cusumano in a bout scheduled for ten rounds. Dubois, who will enter the fight with a record of 16-1, with 15 Knockouts has been known as one of the Heavyweight division’s rising “Knockout Artists.” In his lone defeat Dubois was stopped by undefeated fellow contender Joe Joyce in November of last year when Dubois took a knee after being hit by a jab and was counted out. It was later revealed that Dubois had suffered a broken left eye socket. This will be his second fight since that knockout loss after returning to the ring earlier this summer and scoring a second round knockout of Bogdan Dinu.

 

In all honesty, this fight has all the appearance at least on paper as both a stay busy fight as well as an attempt to continue rebuilding confidence for Dubois following his first defeat. Dubois’ opponent Joe Cusumano is a veteran of twenty-two professional bouts and will come in with a respectable record of 19-3, with 17 Knockouts. Although Cusumano has never been stopped and has a career knockout percentage of over 60%, he will be making a step up in this fight in terms of caliber of opponent. Anything can happen when two fighters get into a ring however, and this especially holds true in regard to the Heavyweight division. Despite the appearance this fight might give on paper, Dubois was not tested in his last fight and the question that is always asked of fighters that suffer a knockout loss at any stage is what effect did it have on them both physically and mentally. It is logical to think that Cusumano will try to test Dubois’ resolve in this fight if given the chance.

 

Rounding out the pay-per-view card will be a scheduled six round Cruiserweight bout featuring undefeated prospect Tommy Fury looking for the seventh win of his career as he faces Anthony Taylor. As the Dubois-Cusumano bout has an appearance at least on paper as a stay busy fight for Dubois, this fight is in reality a showcase for Fury, the brother of undefeated two-time Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury. Taylor will enter this fight, the second of his career looking for his first victory. In that fight in 2017, Taylor was defeated by Donte Stubbs in a four round split decision. The question that faces Taylor here is what will he bring to the table against Fury, who has four knockouts in his six wins and more specifically, what can he offer after a four year hiatus from competition.

 

The main story of the night however, will of course be the clash between Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley. Although it ultimately remains to be seen what type of fight we will see and perhaps more importantly, how successful this fight will do in terms of pay-per-view buys even as the medium of pay-per-view is in a state of decline.  As this observer has done ever since the influx of those who have entered into the Boxing world through unconventional routes whether it be through first achieving notoriety through YouTube or other mediums, I am taking the “Wait and see” approach.  No matter what happens in this fight, hopefully, this influx of bouts between aspiring boxers and mixed martial artists will eventually lead to good things for the sport of Boxing. It would also be a good thing if those who enter Boxing in non-traditional ways seek to prove themselves against boxers as well.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

Paul vs. Woodley takes place Tomorrow night (Sunday, August 29^th) at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH. The card can be seen in the United States and globally on Showtime Pay-Per-View on cable and satellite and streamed globally on FITE TV. The broadcast will begin at 8PM ET/5PM PT (U.S. Time) following a one hour preshow that will begin at 7PM ET/4PM PT. Contact your cable or satellite provider to order.  To order on FITE download the fight app on mobile, table, and connected streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs or order  on FITE’s website online at the following link: https://www.fite.tv/watch/paul-vs-woodley/2p9vn/

 

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison

 

JAKE PAUL VS. TYRON WOODLEY SHOWTIME PPV® EVENT AVAILABLE ACROSS DIGITAL STREAMING AND CABLE, SATELLITE & TELCO TELEVISION PLATFORMS GLOBALLY

 

Press Release: By FITE - NEW YORK – August 12, 2021 – One of the most talked about sporting events of the summer, the boxing pay-per-view card on Sunday, August 29 featuring a battle between renowned content creator and undefeated professional boxer Jake “The Problem Child” Paul and former MMA world champion Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley, is now available for pre-order for viewing in the U.S. in the SHOWTIME app and on the web via SHOWTIME.com. The five-fight telecast will also be available in the U.S. and globally on a variety of digital streaming platforms and via major cable, satellite, and telco providers in the U.S. and Canada. Produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV^®, the event begins at a special time of 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, live from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.

 

Paul vs. Woodley is available for purchase now for $59.99 in the SHOWTIME app and via web at SHOWTIME.com/PPV. All U.S. consumers who purchase the event via SHOWTIME.com can watch the event live through the SHOWTIME streaming service app on Apple iOS and tvOS devices, Android Mobile, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, Chromecast, Xbox One, as well as online at SHOWTIME.com.

 

iNDemand is serving as a cable and telco distributor for the U.S. and Canada. Customers can order the event with their remote control or voice remote via all major U.S. cable, satellite, and telco providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, Verizon Fios, Optimum, Vubiquity, DIRECTV, U-Verse TV, DISH and more. In Canada, the event can be ordered through Rogers, Bell, Shaw, SaskTel, and TELUS. The pay-per-view event will be distributed by a variety of leading linear and digital television providers around the world including FOX Sports (Australia) and Sky Sports (New Zealand). An exclusive U.K. broadcast partner will be announced soon.

The pay-per-view will also be available for streaming through Sling in the U.S., as well as via Sony’s PlayStation Store and FITE TV in the U.S. and Canada.

 

The event also will be distributed via closed circuit at a variety of commercial establishments throughout the U.S. and Canada, activated by Joe Hand Promotions. Fans can locate the venues showing Paul vs. Woodley by checking the Joe Hand Promotions Watch Party app: https://www.joehandpromotions.com/venue-search

 

“In just three fights, Jake Paul has captured the attention of boxing fans and non-fans alike, and he is on a mission to prove that he belongs on boxing’s biggest stage, SHOWTIME PPV,” said Stephen Espinoza, President of Sports and Event Programming for SHOWTIME. “Tyron Woodley is an experienced and feared striker who is out to stop that train in its tracks. With the U.S. debut of two proven British attractions in Daniel Dubois and Tommy Fury, a unified women’s title fight featuring one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the sport in Amanda Serrano and an intriguing match-up between top prospect Montana Love and former world champion Ivan Baranchyk, this card has something for everyone. We are excited to deliver this massive event to viewers around the world.”

 

The five-fight SHOWTIME PPV event will feature a complete undercard of world-class professional boxing including Puerto Rican star and WBC/WBO Featherweight World Champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano defending her titles against super bantamweight world champion Yamileth Mercado of Mexico in the co-featured bout. Former junior welterweight world champion Ivan Baranchyk will step into the ring to face the unbeaten Cleveland-native Montana Love in a 10-round showdown. Rounding out the PPV telecast will be two U.K stars making their stateside debut as the hard-hitting heavyweight Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois, who is ranked No. 1 by the WBA, will face Juiseppe Angelo Cusumano in a 10-round matchup, and Tommy “TNT” Fury, the younger brother of heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, will square off against combat sports veteran Anthony “Pretty Boy” Taylor in a six-round, 180-pound catchweight fight to open the pay-per-view telecast.

 

Tickets to attend the event at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland starting at $45 are still available via RocketMortgageFieldHouse.com. The event is co-produced by SHOWTIME PPV and Most Valuable Promotions and promoted by Tony and Bryce Holden of Holden Productions. Barstool Sportsbook is the official sports betting partner for the event and will be incorporated in a unique, fully integrated brand activation that is to be announced in more detail.

 

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @TWooodley and @ShowtimeBoxing, on Instagram via @JakePaul, @Twooodley and @ShowtimeBoxing, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

About Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley:

Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley is the main event of a five-fight professional boxing pay-per-view event presented by SHOWTIME PPV^® and Most Valuable Promotions and promoted by Tony and Bryce Holden live from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, on Sunday, August 29 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The SHOWTIME PPV for viewing in the U.S. is available for purchase in the SHOWTIME app and on the web at SHOWTIME.com/PPV, and is available to order through major cable, satellite and telco providers in the U.S. and Canada. Renowned content creator and undefeated professional boxer Jake “The Problem Child” Paul will take on the toughest challenge of his budding career in the former UFC champion Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley. Featured on the undercard is unified featherweight world champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano defending her titles against super bantamweight champion Yamileth Mercado and the U.S. debuts of popular U.K. attractions Daniel Dubois and Tommy Fury in separate bouts. Tickets for the live event can be purchased through RocketMortgageFieldHouse.com.

Material Courtesy of FITE Used with permission.

 

For more information about FITE including schedules and instructions on how to download the FITE app on mobile, tablet, and connected streaming devices/platforms/Smart TV’s please visit:www.FITE.TV. To order Paul vs. Woodley on FITE download the FITE app or click the following link: https://www.fite.tv/watch/paul-vs-woodley/2p9vn/

 

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